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Governor-General launches Australia’s first purple striped coin

July 18, 2013 – The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Quentin Bryce AC CVO, will launch Australia’s first purple striped circulating $2 coin celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Australian Mint.

Australia / 2 Dollars / Al Br / 6.6g / 20.62mm / Mintage: Unlimited.

The coin features three regal purple concentric stripes bordering St Edward’s Crown, designed by the Royal Australian Mint after extensive consultation with Buckingham Palace, and is the latest release in a long and proud tradition of commemorating important royal events.“The 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is an important milestone that has only been achieved by one other monarch in history, and it is fitting that it has been chosen to be commemorated on Australia’s coloured circulating $2 coin,” said Bernie Ripoll MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer.Two million of these coins will be released through the normal distribution channels. “Today banks around the country will start receiving these coins for distribution so we should start seeing them in our change very soon,” Mr Ripoll said. “This is another fine example of innovation from the Royal Australian Mint and it is a great way to help educate and create awareness of milestones that are important to the Australian community.”

For those Australians who can’t wait for the coin to appear in their change, they can be purchased for face value in a bag of five from the Mint for July or while stocks last. Demand for the coin has been high, due to the staged reveal of the design online.

“This coin is the Mint’s most innovative circulating release, and to really highlight this achievement we utilised social media to help drum up interest within the Australian public before it hit the streets,” said Mr Ross MacDiarmid, CEO of the Royal Australian Mint. “Each stage of the coin’s production process was revealed through our Colourful Change website, and attracted a lot of discussion across Facebook, Twitter and Reddit about what the Mint’s colourful change could be.”

For more information or an image of the 2013 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II $2 coloured circulating coin, please visit The Royal Australian Mint’s website.

And if you’d like to watch the The Coronation 60th Anniversary Service of HM Queen Elizabeth II on YouTube, please click here.